Cassava breeding: opportunities and challenges

Although cassava is a major food crop, its scientific breeding began only recently compared with other crops. Significant progress has been achieved, particularly in Asia where cassava is used mainly for industrial processes and no major biotic constraints affect its productivity. Cassava breeding faces several limitations that need to be addressed. The heterozygous nature of the crop and parental lines used to generate new segregating progenies makes it difficult to identify parents with good breeding values. Breeding so far has been mainly based on a mass phenotypic recurrent selection. There is very little knowledge on the inheritance of traits of agronomic relevance. Several approaches have been taken to overcome the constraints in the current methodologies for the genetic improvement of cassava. Evaluations at early stages of selection allow for estimates of general combining ability effect or breeding values of parental lines. Inbreeding by sequential self-pollination facilitates the identification of useful recessive traits, either already present in the Manihot gene pool or induced by mutagenesis.     

Comparison of competitive ability between native and introduced salmonids: evidence from pairwise contests

Brown trout, Salmo trutta, and rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, have been introduced to freshwaters in Hokkaido, Japan. Today, it is recognized that these introduced salmonids have negative impacts on native salmonids such as white-spotted charr, Salvelinus leucomaenis, and masu salmon, O. masou. In particular, interspecific competition may be an important mechanism that could contribute to the exclusion for native salmonids. In this study, experimental pairwise contests were conducted to compare interference competitive ability between native and introduced salmonids. We demonstrated that brown trout were competitively superior to white-spotted charr and masu salmon whereas rainbow trout were superior to white-spotted charr. We suggest that introduced brown trout negatively impact both white-spotted charr and masu salmon, and introduced rainbow trout negatively impact white-spotted charr.     

Genetic characterization and specific detection of beer-spoilage Lactobacillus sp. LA2 and related strains

AIMS: Lactobacillus sp. LA2 (DSM15502) and related strains (LA2 group) possess strong beer-spoilage ability. The 16S rDNA sequence of LA2 strain is virtually indistinguishable from that of L. collinoides, generally considered to be nonbeer-spoilage bacteria. The aim of this study was to identify the genetic marker to distinguish between Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group and L. collinoides and to provide a rapid means of identifying beer-spoilage strains belonging to Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group. METHODS AND RESULTS: The 16-23S rDNA intergenic spacer (ITS) regions of Lactobacillus sp. LA2 and L. collinoides JCM1123T were sequenced to identify a genetic marker to distinguish between the two groups. As a result, 300 and 500 bp ITS regions of Lactobacillus sp. LA2 were found to be almost identical with those of L. collinoides JCM1123T. Sequence comparison analysis between Lactobacillus sp. LA2 and L. collinoides JCM1123T revealed that the two contiguously located nucleotides are absent in both ITS regions of Lactobacillus sp. LA2. Based on the sequence difference, we have designed specific PCR primers with a minor modification to the primer sequence that can differentiate between beer-spoilage Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group and nonbeer-spoilage L. collinoides. CONCLUSIONS: The PCR-based method has been developed to identify Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group, providing a rapid and sensitive means of determining the beer-spoilage ability of detected bacterial strains. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The substitution of one nucleotide, located at the third position to the 3'-end in the primer sequence, enhanced the specificity of the PCR method while retaining sufficient sensitivity. The nucleotide gap identified in this study appeared to serve as a useful genetic marker that can differentiate 12 beer-spoilage Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group strains from its close relatives that exhibit no beer-spoilage ability.     

土壤干旱对元宝枫渗透调节能力的影响

采用盆栽控水法和P—V技术研究分析了不同土壤干旱(速度、程度)条件对元宝枫渗透调节能力的影响。结果表明,元宝枫具有很强的渗透调节能力．但该能力受土壤干旱的速度和程度影响,在缓慢干旱条件下,元宝枫叶片的ψw、ψ0、π100、RWC^0、ROWC^0均明显降低．其中与渗透调节能力直接相关的(π100可下调0．52MPa,ψ0下调1．51MPa。在快速干旱条件下π100和ψ0分别仅下凋0．20MPa和0．48MPa。△π100值也表明缓慢干旱条件下元宝枫渗透调节能力是快速干旱下的45倍。在缓慢干旱条件下．由轻度到中度干旱时其渗透调节能力显著增强(增加270％);由中度到严重干旱时．增加不明显(增加了24．5％)。从3种有机渗透调节物质含量与△π100值的动态变化可见,可溶性糖含量增加对渗透调节能力的贡献是第一位的．其次是Pro、游离氨基酸。     

Inbreeding and true seed in tetrasomic potato. IV. Synthetic cultivars

A true potato seed (TPS) synthetic cultivar from open pollination may broaden the genetic base in potato. A synthetic cultivar can also reduce the effect of inbreeding and maintain the productivity from generation to generation. Selected tetraploid parental genotypes, based on combining-ability tests, were chosen for isolated polycrosses to obtain tetraploid offspring. A series of experiments were undertaken to investigate the development of these TPS synthetic populations in two Peruvian locations: San Ramon, a rainfed, humid, mid-altitude environment, and La Molina, an arid, coastal environment under irrigation. Natural open-pollinated synthetics or control-mixture synthetics, involving two to six parents, had a similar tuber set but plant survival and tuber weight were higher in control synthetics including two or six parents. The results suggest that two-parent open-pollinated TPS synthetics may be a feasible option by selecting the right parents for the base population. A subsequent experiment showed that four-parent control synthetics (i.e. double crosses) were the best for tuber weight and size, followed by the two-parent control synthetics. Synthetic breeding populations could be shared with other breeders, who in cooperation with their local farmers may select promising genotypes for further cultivar release. Received: 15 December 2000 / Accepted: 4 April 2001     

Improving male mating competitiveness and survival in the field for medfly,Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) SIT programs

The success of the sterile insect technique (SIT) depends critically upon mating between released sterilized males and wild females. In Hawaii, improvements in the efficiency of sterile males were attempted on two separate fronts – mating enhancement and survival improvement. In the former, two methods have been investigated – selective breeding and aromatherapy. In the latter, flies which survived in field cages for several days were selected and bred to produce progeny with enhanced survival ability compared to control flies. Regarding mating selection, standard laboratory-reared males that successfully mated with wild females in field cages were allowed to breed. F1 offspring were inbred, then the selection procedure was repeated for four additional cycles. In the aromatherapy procedure, laboratory-reared males were exposed to ginger root oil for several hours 1 day prior to testing in field cages. Compared to controls, the selected flies improved the mating competitiveness of male flies ca. 3-fold, irradiation reduced this increase to ca. 2.5-fold. Exposing the selected, hybrid strain raised the fitness of the lab males to ca. 9-fold that of wild males. In the ongoing survival selection study, we have obtained lines in which the selected males survived ca. 2-fold better than laboratory control males over several days in an outdoor field cage, with food and water provided. The goal is to combine the traits of higher survival and mating ability into a single strain for SIT release.     

Root proliferation in perennial grasses of low and high palatability

Root proliferation of desirable (Stipa clarazii andS. tenuis) and undesirable (S.ambigua)perennial grasses was studied in semiarid rangelands of Central Argentina(40°39S, 62°54W) in 1998. On 17 September, soil coreswereremoved from the edge of the plant, metal structures lined with screen mesh(hereafter called bags) were buried in the holes, and root-free soil was placedinto these structures. Numbers of green tillers and circumference per plant hadpreviously been determined. Since plants were of unequal size among species,root length and root dry weight data are reported on a per green tiller basis.Half of the plants was defoliated to 5 cm stubble height on 17September and/or 12 October, while the other half remained undefoliated(controls). Bags were destructively harvested either 20 days after the firstdefoliation (first sampling) or 56 days after the second defoliation (secondsampling) by digging out soil very carefully around each bag. Roots were washedfrom soil, root length estimated by the line intercept method, root dry weightdetermined after oven-drying, and root length per unit root dry weightcalculated from the two measured variables. Root length and dry weight weremorethan 96% greater on defoliated and undefoliated plants ofS. clarazii than on those of S.tenuisor S. ambigua for both sampling dates. Root length perunitroot dry weight, however, was more than 43% greater (p < 0.05) inS. tenuis than in S. clarazii andS. ambigua during the second sampling. Defoliated plantshada similar root length and root dry weight than undefoliated plants in all threespecies, although plants of S. tenuis defoliated twiceshowed a greater (p < 0.05) root length than undefoliated controls. Rootlength and root dry weight were similar between sampling periods, except onundefoliated plants of S. tenuis which had a greater (p<0.05) root length and root dry weight at the first than at the second sampling.Although root length per unit root dry weight may be greater inS. tenuis than in S. clarazii andS. ambigua, greater root length and dry weight increasesinS. clarazii after defoliation appear determinant incontributing to explain its greater competitive ability and defoliationtolerance when compared with the other two species.Nomenclature of taxa followed.     

Factors influencing eating ability of old in-patients in a rehabilitation hospital in Japan

Objectives: This study was designed to determine the factors influencing eating ability of old in‐patients in a rehabilitation hospital. Design: Cross‐sectional investigation. Setting: Forty‐six in‐patients in the rehabilitation ward of Hashimoto Hospital in Kagawa Prefecture in Japan were investigated using a multi‐disciplinary approach. Main outcome measures: Age, gender, state of dentition, muscle activity of lip, cheek and tongue, biting force, salivary flow rate per a minute (SFR), masticatory ability for gummy jelly, swallowing ability, texture of meal, independency of walking (Functional Independence Measure=FIM) and ability to communicate. Results: Bivariate analysis for the relationship between surveyed items and masticatory ability (chi‐square test) identified that better masticatory ability for gummy jelly was associated with age (<85 years), gender (male), state of dentition (dentate), SFR (high), activity of lip (good), biting force (high), swallowing ability (good) and activity of communication (high). Among these items, SFR (p=0.001), gender (p=0.004), ability to communicate (p=0.005) and age (p=0.012) were found having an influence on the masticatory ability (logistic regression analysis). On the other hand, age (<85years), gender (male), SFR (high), activity of lip (good), activity of cheek (good), biting force (high), masticatory ability (good) and swallowing ability (good) had a relationship with normal texture of meal. In regression analysis, only two items, activity of lip (p=0.003) and swallowing ability (p=0.024) emerged as factors on texture of meal. Conclusions: Masticatory ability for gummy jelly was influenced by cognitive function and was excluded from the factors on the state of meal. These results suggested the limitation of evaluation using test food, so dentists should observe eating behaviour of in‐patients. In addition, dentists should pay attention to the activity of the lip and swallowing ability as well as dentition and prostheses in the rehabilitation of eating ability. As SFR was the most significant factor on masticatory ability, this emphasizes the necessity of care for dry mouth caused by side effects of multi‐medication     

A simulation study of the effects of architectural constraints and resource translocation on population structure and competition in clonal plants

(1) Spatially explicit simulation of clonal plant growth is used to determine how ramet-level traits affect ramet density, spatial pattern of ramets and competitive ability of a clonal plant. The simulation model used combines elements of (i) an individual-based model of plant interactions, (ii) an architectural model of clonal plant growth, and (iii) a model of resource translocation within a set of physiologically integrated plant individuals. (2) The effects of two groups of parameters were studied: growth and resource acquisition parameters (resource accumulation, density-dependence of resource accumulation, resource translocation between ramets) and architectural rules (branching angle and probability of branching, internode length). The model was parameterised by values approximating those of clonally growing grasses as closely as possible. The basic parameter values were chosen from a short-turf grassland. Sensitivity analysis was carried out on relevant parameters around three basic points in the parameter space. Both single-species and two-species systems were studied. (3) It is shown that increasing resource acquisition and growth parameters increase ramet density, genet number and competitive ability. Translocation parameters and architectural parameters modify the effects of resource acquisition and growth, but their effect in single-species stands was smaller. (4) The simulations of species with fixed ramet sizes showed that ramet density in single-species stands cannot be used for predicting competitive ability. Increase in resource acquisition and growth parameters was correlated with an increase in equilibrium ramet density and competitive ability. Increasing branching angle, branching probability or internode length lead to an increased competitive ability, but did not affect equilibrium ramet density. Change of architectural parameters could therefore affect competitive ability independently of their effect on the final ramet density. (5) Spatial pattern both in single-species and two-species stands was also highly parameter-dependent. Changes in architectural parameters and in translocation usually lead to pronounced change in the spatial pattern; change in growth and resource acquisition parameters generally had little effect on spatial pattern.     

The Use Of Methods For Injury Determination And Quantification From Natural Resource Damage Assessment In Ecological Risk Assessment

Several Federal statutes provide the government the authority to recover natural resource damages including the Clean Water Act Amendments (1977), the Outer Continental Shelf Act Amendments (1978), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). CERCLA and OPA 90 are the principle Federal statutes which authorize trustees to assess damages for trust resources which are lost, injured, or destroyed as a result of the discharge of oil or the release of hazardous substances. The Department of the Interior was charged with developing natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) regulations and procedures from CERCLA and the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was charged with developing regulations for OPA 90. NRDA is a process for making the public “whole” for direct injury to natural resources and/or the services of natural resources. The primary objectives of the NRDA process are to identify and quantify natural resource injury, determine the damages resulting from the injury, and develop and implement appropriate restoration actions. The goal is to be accomplished by implementing a plan for the restoration, rehabilitation, replacement, or acquisition of equivalent natural resources. NRDA is an after-the-fact process; however, the OPA 90 NRDA rules describe a pre-spill planning process. The models and formulae can be used in this pre-spill planning process to estimate damages (both ecological and economic). Some of those tools, in particular NRDAMCME, have uses in ranking risk from spills of petroleum products and hazardous substances. This information can be used to protect ecological resources and lower NRDA costs through pre spill planning and management of resources during a spill.